UK Weather: Heatwave To End This Weekend With Thunderstorms And Heavy Rain

27/07/2013 08:28 BST

PA

Britain's glorious spell of sunshine will be brought to an abrupt end this weekend after the Met Office issued a weather warning for heavy downpours and thunderstorms for parts of the country.

Weather experts have warned that some regions may be hit by localised flooding from this evening into Sunday as thousands of holidaymakers prepare to set off for their summer break.

The Met Office has issued a "yellow" warning of rain following concerns that heavy showers and thunderstorms expected over France today could move north to affect south-east England and East Anglia.

Storms have already hit the UK this week

The thundery weather is then expected to move north to cover large parts of England on Sunday, with as much as 30mm of rain falling in an hour in South East areas, forecasters have warned.

Sean Penston, forecaster at MeteoGroup, the weather division of the Press Association, said there was "every chance" of flash flooding in areas affected by the torrential rain.

"There's a pool of warm air moving up from the continent which should arrive in the south east of England by (the) afternoon," he said.

"That will bring heavy and thundery rain across much of south-east England, before it moves in a north west direction across the Midlands, parts of east Wales and south-west England.

"This rain will keep pushing north on Sunday into northern England and Scotland. Then, moving in from the west, further showers and outbreaks of rain with the risk of thunder will affect south-west England and Wales."

The South East will bear the brunt of the weekend's rain with as much as 30mm expected to fall within an hour, and 50mm within three hours in some places, according to the Met Office.

This compares with an average rainfall of around 80mm for the whole month of July, MeteoGroup said.

In its weather warning, the Met Office said: "Thunderstorms and areas of heavy, thundery rain are expected to move north from France during the course of Saturday afternoon and evening.

"The public should be aware of the risk of localised disruption to travel, due to surface water flooding and lightning strikes."

Temperatures will remain warm for most of the country, however, with highs between 23C to 25C for much of England today, Mr Penston said.